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Tribal Leader Reclaims Sorong to Samarai as Ancestral Land

FWPC-PNGNews

City Hall POM | Photo : Siwa

For 50
years Indonesia has silenced our voices. Today we are trying to tell our story
to the world. We are asking people and Governments around the world to support the Melanesian in West Papua at every political and diplomatic forums and levels; MPs from different parliaments have
formed the International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP) www.ipwp.org and are pushing their
government to recognize West Papua’s rights to self-determination. And Lawyers
also formed the International Lawyers for West Papua (ILWP) www.ilwp.org. We are asking
everyone to listen to our story and support this struggle for freedom, peace
and dignity says West Papua Independence Leader and Chairman of Koteka Tribal
Assembly (DeMMAK) Mr. Benny Wenda in Parliament House, Port Moresby recently.

Year
2013 has marked 53 years for West Papua under Indonesian colonialism and
occupation. To commemorate this anniversary, the worldwide movement (flag
rising ceremony) on 1st December 2013 has taken place in West Papua,
UK, Netherlands, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Island, Vanuatu, Belgium, Mexico,
Spain, Guyana, Hawaii, New Zealand, New Caledonia, and Papua New Guinea to
support West Papua self-determination.

In
Papua New Guinea it was campaigning more than a month earlier. The Co-founder
of Free West Papua Campaign Mr. Benny Wenda were in the country in
collaboration with PNG based advocates, PNG Politicians and Lawyers,
international experts and International Musician and Artist for West Papua joining
hand to hand campaigned in PNG more than a month to seek support from brothers
and sisters in eastern part of this island of New Guinea. Mr. Benny Wenda stated that from Sorong to Samarai is my ancestor land.
No more Sabang to Merauke as Indonesia has claimed but it is Sorong to Samarai and
I reclaim it back as my ancestral land.

Together
with this on 27th November, 2013 at Main Lecture Theater University
of Papua New Guinea, NCD Governor Hon. Powes Parkop, LLB, LLM and MP was awarded
John Rumbiak Human Rights Defender Award for his dedication for the human
rights avocation and his life time loyalty campaign for West Papuan aspiration
to self-determination under Indonesian colonialism and occupation on this new
era.

On 28th
November, 2013 was held International Parliamentarians for West Papua regional
meeting at Parliament house, Waigani. It was attended by government ministers,
prominent lawyers and high ranking PNG government officials. International
Lawyers for West Papua, Ms. Jennifer Robinson and Mr. Benny Wenda attended the
meeting to brief PNG MPs towards West Papuan rights to self- determination
under international law or legal argument for West Papua under international
law. Mr. Benny Wenda also gives talk on this event and seeks PNG government
support for this cause to national and international level. On this event also
presented Gabagaba Declaration to the Government of PNG.

1st
December, 2013 was celebrated by walk for freedom and rising up the Morning
Star Flag at City Hall and officially launched the Office of Free West Papua
Campaign – PNG by Hon. Powes Parkop, MP and Mr. Benny Wenda. This office is
lead by Mr. Fred Mambrasar as Chairman of Free West Papua Campaign in PNG. This
historical event was attended and witnessed by Papua New Guinea’s high ranking
official, Churches, Lawyers, Students Union, SRC President of UPNG,
Academicians Lawyers, Politicians, PNG women in Politics, youths, NGOs, CBOs
and General Publics.And it also was attended
and witnessed by representing from various elements of struggle; WPNA, WPNCL,
FNMPP, GARDA, KNPB, PNWP, STUDENTS, FWPC and NFRPB.

But
unfortunately end on this event Mr. Fred Mambrasar, Mr. Tonny Fofoe and Mr.
Patrick Kaiku were arrested by PNG Police without clear charge but it seems to
be like the involvement of Indonesian government pressure to suppress PNG
government towards worldwide movement for Free West Papua campaign.